Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Our latest big news is that my husband has taken a job in Conroe. For all of you not familiar with the Lonestar state, it is about an hour from where we currently live. He is in charge of recruiting and productivity in a real estate office there.

This is a good move because it gives us a stable income instead of the ups and downs that come with sales. And we need some stability right now. Conroe is a plus because his parents live there, it’s closer to Houston and well, it is on a lake and we really like the water.

So, on top of our already emotional week last week with the hearing and all, Andrew started a new job commuting an hour or so both ways. Just one week and we knew. I hardly see him, the kids are lonely for their daddy and we are both exhausted from it all. All it took was one week. Actually just three days and the big move an hour down the road is imminent.

Some of you know we’ve been trying to sell our house since the end of October. Honestly, we've had no idea where we're going. We've had ideas, dreams and shaky plans but other than that, nuthin'. As real estate agents, you’d think we could have some success selling, but the house is still on the market. Because God had a different plan from all of our past plans.

Sometime I’ll tell you about the day eighteen months ago when God told me we were moving. And, I’ll tell you about when I took trips to Tampa, Corpus and Gulf Breeze, Florida all with intentions to move there. I’m not kidding. The last twelve months have been filled with trips of interviews, scouting and house hunting. They’ve been fun but for one reason or another, things just didn’t work out like we'd hoped.

Conroe seems to be working out and as soon as our house sells, we will go.

I’ve been down there looking at houses the last few days and I’m a little overwhelmed. Although this isn’t how I’ve dreamed it would go, it seems to be going. All the months of standing still are giving way to this free fall. Quickly. I feel so grown up and mature. We’ve made the lists a hundred times. Stay/Go and Pros/Cons. All doors are opening and at least one question mark on this rough, dark road is straightening into an exclamation point.

My friend Mary has been a huge part of praying us through this dark and curvy road. She encourages me daily. Today she sent a quote from Pam Moore’s book, Safer Than a Known Way. Maybe it’s a book we should all check out…Pam says, “I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.And he replied:Go out into the darkness and put thine hand into the hand of God.That shall be to thee better than light and safer than a known way."

We are definitely walking an unfamiliar path. Often times we feel as if we’re guessing the answer to some big and important decisions.

When we were praying about taking the job, God gave me a vision. I saw my husband at bat. The crowd was cheering, the announcer was saying here was his big chance to hit a homer. The pitch came fast and it hit him. He advanced to base. And the announcer said, “It’s not how he wanted to get on but he still has the potential to score.”

That’s how we feel. We are exciting to be in this game. The people we’ve met in Conroe are amazing. The job is challenging. Being close to family is a welcome blessing.

But we haven’t found the perfect house yet and ours hasn’t sold and we are sad to leave the only home we’ve ever known together. All of those things keep running together in my mind. Around and around in circles they run never slowing and never stopping. A downhill rush of good and hard and even the not so good.

But one thing is sure, he’s guiding us on this path, He’s promised to never leave us and he knows where we’ll plant our feet and lay our heads tomorrow.

I’ve prayed this verse and claimed this promise each day since Mary texted it in October.

“…He (God) determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.” Acts 17:26

9 comments:

Oh Lisa! What a journey, what a testimony you have! God is sooo leading you and your precious family! I have never said to anyone praying and believing "one day at a time" but the Lord has given that to me everytime I pray for you or think of you....I see it play out though in all that seems to be going on in your life. One day at a time...God is showing HIS Power, HIS Plan, and His Amazing love for his beautiful daughter! Praise HIM!!

Lisa it is time to stop the chatter of your mind, time to rest, times to meditate on these times and God's words. All will fall into place, of this I am sure. Your house will sell and a new home will begin among family and new friends....Be well my sweet friend, prayers as always for your healing, your family and for selling your house....:-) Hugs

Lisa, God always has a plan...and when He has a plan...He makes the path. It's difficult to trust God when you can't even see the very next step ahead of you...faith in God isn't easy...but it makes all things possible. Recall God's faithfulness...those times in your darkest moments when all hope seemed gone...and God stepped in. God has a plan...trust in it, it seems as though He "revealed" it to you some time ago...He is taking action now to fulfill that plan. Let Him worry about the details...all He wants is your faith. (2 Chronicles 20:1-29) He's taking you step by step through the wilderness...so that you will never doubt His love and sovereignty in your life. (Exodus 13:17-18) He's working to bring about a testimony...and He wants to use you. So, He's bringing situations into your life where you have no control...in the wilderness...where He alone is your ONLY source of strength and life. He's bringing you into circumstances where He is a miracle cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (to dispel the darkness).(Deuteronomy 1:33) He will watch over your journey and you will not lack ANYTHING. (Deuteronomy 2:7) He will use your life as a testimony to the world..you need only "stand firm."

"Do not be afraid.. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you...the Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." (Exodus 14:13-14)

Blessings on your move! I pray that your house will sell quickly and that you will find the perfect house for you.

I'm holding to that verse in Acts. I love it. We are trying to figure out where to go and struggling each and every day over it. So I will claim this promise and hold fast, knowing that God has a plan.